Melvin F Sembler

He is the founder and former president of the Sembler Company which builds, renovates and manages shopping malls.

He has been a fund raiser for the Republican Party for close to 30 years and continues donating to this day. He was instrumental in the election of George H. W. Bush. He has been appointed United States ambassador to Australia and Nauru (1989 - 1993) and to Italy (2001 - 2005).

Sembler founded Straight Inc., a company which perpetrated itself to be providing a cure to drug addiction and ran from 1976 to 1993. Based upon its record of success, it received praise from Nancy Reagan and Princess Diana. Straight graduated 12,000 people from its program. There have also been allegations of abuse by some former participants. In 1983 a former attendee of Straight won a court judgment against the program and in 1990 another former attendee also won a judgement. The Sembler's stand by their program and what it has done for the community.